Guest Blog: Low Carbon Brick Alternatives for Repairs to Imperial Sized Bricks in Historic Buildings
The rebuilding and repair of Historic Buildings requires a supply of new materials that are compatible with the existing historic structure. Visual compatibility can be a choice of aesthetics, but materials properties and strength compatibility are essential for functionality and durability. Sourcing suitable materials can become challenging when the original manufacturers are no longer in business, or the manufacturing techniques are no longer widely practiced or environmentally viable. Historic, imperial sized, fired Clay Bricks provide an example of this.
Though a handful of manufacturers in England still craft new imperial bricks, often employing time-honoured techniques or infrastructure dating back to the 19th century, attention must be paid to the supply chain's robustness, particularly around production capacity. Moreover, environmental concerns loom large - traditional coal-fired methods used in brick firing are incompatible with contemporary carbon reduction goals. Additionally, the logistical implications of supplier locations further complicate these challenges.
Alternatively, reclaimed imperial bricks sourced through salvage operations from structures of similar age and construction can often offer a suitable match in terms of dimensions and material properties. However, the reliability and consistency of supply pose significant hurdles, as does the need for meticulous vetting of each batch for quality assurance. Additionally, the carbon footprint associated with transportation becomes a consideration, particularly if local sources are not readily available.
Examples of salvaged bricks
The introduction of new, modern-sized fired clay bricks could streamline the supply chain but presents its own set of challenges, including dimensional disparities and discrepancies in structural and material properties, not to mention environmental considerations.
In response to these complexities, Narro has partnered with Heriot Watt University to explore innovative low carbon brick alternatives tailored to imperial dimensions. The result of this collaboration is the K-BRIQ®. Developed at Heriot Watt University by the spin-out company Kenoteq, the K-BRIQ® stands out for its structural integrity derived from certified inert non-organic construction waste materials. Essentially these are manufactured by taking crushed debris from building clearances or stabilisation efforts. These bricks therefore exhibit significantly lower embodied carbon emissions compared to traditional fired bricks, owing to the reuse of recycled materials and the absence of high-temperature fossil fuel-based firing in the production process. Customisable moulds can be developed to produce units matching the desired dimensions, including those of imperial bricks.
At scale, the cost of imperial-sized K-BRIQ® units would be marginally lower than that of new fired clay bricks and comparable to salvaged alternatives. Notably, the commissioning of production moulds, while a significant investment, is pivotal for any trial.
Narro remains committed to collaborating with Kenoteq and Heriot Watt University to explore the integration of this sustainable technology in heritage conservation efforts across Scotland and the wider UK.
The views expressed in this blog are those of Narro Associates and do not necessarily reflect the views of Scottish Land & Estates. No liability can be accepted by Scottish Land & Estates or any of its staff for any misstatement in it or omission from it.
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